Hi, I have a question on the side.
Eike submitted the application for an additional anti-slip strip on the K3, and according to the latest yearbook it was approved. However “only above the existing strip with max. 20 mm” .. how am I supposed to understand that? Are the 20 mm the distance from the existing strip or the “width” of the strip? Neither would make sense… hardly anyone needs the strip that far up, and if it’s supposed to be the thickness, you’d have to cut the standard strips completely lengthwise? Best regards, Lukas

The 20 mm refer to the width of the grip-tape strip, which results from the distance between the strip in the gelcoat and the deck. 25 mm would actually have been a more sensible measurement, since that width is directly available to buy, but for now it is what it is.
Robert

From my own bitter experience I can only warmly recommend once again checking the smooth running of the travellers before every regatta. If the boat has been in salt water (the Baltic or anywhere else) or on a not-so-clean lake, the travellers must absolutely be thoroughly rinsed with fresh water. Walter recommended a toilet-cleaner squeeze bottle for this, with which you can also rinse into the main traveller from below. If the balls don’t run smoothly and cleanly, they can stop and, with the pressure that builds up, destroy the plastic end caps. The result then lies on the trampoline. The main traveller doesn’t even have to hit the end of the track. The housing bursts anyway!
Dirk Säger

At the weekend I experienced my second capsize. This time, unlike the first time, I could no longer right the cat on my own. The situation: the cat had settled with the trampoline parallel to the wind. Standing on the tip of the hull, I was then able to slowly turn the cat with the mast against the wind. (The jib was furled and the mainsail unhooked from the traveller.) The rudder system, I noticed afterwards, was jammed with the tiller bar under the trampoline straps. It was a bit to the side.
Every time I had the mast a little out of the water and the cat righted itself, it picked up “speed” and turned completely with the mast to leeward. This happened so fast that the trampoline was again fully into the wind, where the wind pushed the cat back down onto the water over the trampoline.
Without the friendly motorboater I had no chance. Wind: 3 Bft. Apparently the cat was positioned wrongly with the trampoline.
What did I do wrong?
Best regards, Jens

Hi Jens, I can only imagine that you were too far forward, otherwise it sounds good and correct. Personally I don’t unhook the mainsheet; traveller eased, mainsheet on is enough for me (82 kg). Though I don’t know whether and how the clew in the water supports the unwanted turning or not.
Regards, Lorenz

Hi Jens, from my capsize practice here’s another tip that I experienced in a comparable situation, then discussed and tested:
If the cunningham (luff tensioner) is tight, the sail comes out of the water and stands full in profile with wind from below, this creates forward drive like a beautiful wing and creates negative pressure between water and sail, which makes rapid righting more difficult or even prevents it. Where the boat then turns probably depends on your position on the hull.
With the cunningham open this doesn’t happen, and the boat comes up unhindered.
Try it out!
Regards, Wolfgang

Hi Jens, I suspect you have too little weight. With a wetsuit and water bag you should manage it. 80-85 kg are needed. Something else I’ve experienced: there’s water in the hulls.

This year I’ve been out with an old F2. Over the course of the day I wreck my fingers in 2-3 Bft, though always gusty, always single-handed, so the mainsheet is usually held by hand. On top of that, every 10 minutes: pull the jib sheet out of the cleat, haul it round, back into the cleat. So I’ve already got myself a second pair of gloves where the second knuckle of the index finger is better protected. Still, the skin gets rubbed off the fingertips and partly off the gloved areas. So far one day has always been enough, but maybe the day will come when I can sail a second day.
Do you have any tips?
Your hands are basically in the water for 6 hours, no wonder they go soft. The pictures here show that the K boats tend to have a 4:1 mainsheet. I’ve also read something about a ratchet block with a different cleat on the traveller (but I didn’t really understand how that works). – less load on the hands?
There’s probably no complete solution, but surely a few things that help.
Norbert

Hi Norbert,
the mainsheet purchase on the F2 actually fits the boat size and sheet loads quite well. A K3 sheet isn’t geared any differently.
More sheaves also always means more sheet to pull during manoeuvres.

1. I suspect you run a plain single block as the bottom block (right in the picture) https://www.topcat.de/downloads/TOPCAT_F2_Spareparts.pdf
   A ratchet block could significantly reduce the holding forces (left in the picture)
2. What kind of sheet do you run?
   With sensitive hands you should choose it as thick as possible. 10 mm still runs reasonably through the blocks. The sheet should be neither too hard nor too smooth. The original Topcat material works very well. Your trusted chandler will surely have comparable material. Sometimes washing the sheet also works wonders.
3. Why do you constantly hold the sheet by hand?
   I suspect you don’t trust the cleat. The sheet doesn’t hold, the sheet doesn’t release reliably from the cleat. Then it’s time for a replacement or a different angle setting
4. Try holding/pulling the sheet differently.
   The sheet shouldn’t slide over the fingers unintentionally. Turn the hand in a little and pull more over the ball of the hand.
5. Hand cream should be used regularly and kept as equipment in the sailing bag
6. Rinse the mainsheet block / jib sheet blocks regularly and lubricate the sheave bearings (dry lubricant)
   That’s all I can think of right now. Best, hegi

First of all, thanks for the quick reply and the tips.
Re 1) Yes, the plain blocks. For the ratchet I’ll have to turn to a dealer or boatyard. From the spare parts list it isn’t really clear to me which variant is the right one for me. I only have three sheaves per block.
Are there really only the two dealers in Germany? I live out here in the deep east, in the countryside, and so far have only ordered my stuff online. A cow is easier to get hold of here.
Re 2) The sheet is a braided one with a core and apparently a high natural-fibre content, and quite grippy. Freshly dried I measured 11 to 12 mm. That would probably be a bit thick. But it should only be noticeable when hauling in and easing out, not when holding.
Re 3) So far it’s always been quite gusty when there’s wind. And when I notice that course correction and weight trim aren’t doing anything anymore, that’s when the mainsheet cleat really bites down… I don’t quite dare to use only the traveller instead of the mainsheet, since it runs a bit jerkily (also the plain variant, and I haven’t yet found a way to clean and lubricate the sheaves)
4 and 6) clear
5) Hand cream – has anything proven itself there?
Best regards, Norbert

Re 5) I can recommend the hand cream: Neutrogena

The diamond wires must not be tensioned under load, otherwise the threads of the nuts at the lower end will simply be stripped. So lay the mast on trestles or on the ground and the trailer, then relieve the upper diamond wire by applying pressure. Only now tighten the nut. Then turn the mast and tension the other side.

On a downwind course in a lot of wind, pitchpoles are the greatest danger. You can reduce these if the main traveller is eased fully, but not the mainsheet. The mainsheet opens the top of the sail first and, especially at restrained speed, provides a large lever, particularly when gusts hit: the boat can’t accelerate fast enough and the pressure in the top makes the cat tip forward, i.e. pitchpole. Therefore: traveller out, mainsail in tighter, maybe even don’t furl the jib. That way the boat gets faster and the gusts accelerate the boat instead of tipping it over.
Lorenz Buchler

The reacher halyard on our K3 looks pretty worn out…
What can you recommend as a replacement?
https://www.segelservice.com/FSE-Schotleine-RACING-SHEET-5mm.html

The keels of the Topcats are (in my eyes) fairly robust as standard. Sand only damages them noticeably if they are pulled regularly. With gravel the answer is clearer. However, I keep having customers who simply don’t want to make a fuss and therefore fit/order the shoes.
In that respect, keel shoes are an all-round carefree package for non-commercial users. However: if a cat with keel shoes is pulled out of the water every day all summer in a sailing school without a launching trolley, the keel shoes too are worn down at the heels after three to four years.
Fitting is ‘actually’ simple:
Place the keel shoe on and mark with a pencil
Roughen the inside of the keel shoes with sandpaper
Mask the hulls if necessary and then sand them just as coarsely; both must look dull, even if it hurts.
Remove dust most thoroughly, for example with ethanol on a cloth
One tube of neutral-curing silicone into each keel shoe; for the F2 maybe 3/4 of a tube is enough. Don’t skimp, better to clean up afterwards
Fix the keel shoe with a roof batten, 6-8 lashing straps on it; be careful with ratchet straps, better normal lashing straps
Remove squeezed-out silicone immediately; you can also pull an edge right away, though around the straps it’s a bit tedious
Let cure for 24 hours
Second hull (if you don’t have two roof battens and 16 straps)
All in all a rather meditative affair, better careful than fast.

If you handle your boat carefully, you don’t need keel shoes. But at my berth I have a gravel beach, and friends also sail my boat sometimes when I’m not there. Then some scratches simply can’t be avoided. That’s when you can start thinking about the shoes. In rocky, shallow areas or, for example, near coral reefs, the keel shoes are practically indispensable. There’s additionally an Anticoralli hull reinforcement. There the hull is already additionally reinforced during construction at the boatyard. Unfortunately, however, that can’t be retrofitted.

Hello everyone,
At the weekend I experienced my second capsize. This time, unlike the first time, I could no longer right the cat on my own. The situation: the cat had settled with the trampoline parallel to the wind. Standing on the tip of the hull, I was then able to slowly turn the cat with the mast against the wind. (The jib was furled and the mainsail unhooked from the traveller.) The rudder system, I noticed afterwards, was jammed with the tiller bar under the trampoline straps. It was a bit to the side.
Every time I had the mast a little out of the water and the cat righted itself, it picked up “speed” and turned completely with the mast to leeward. This happened so fast that the trampoline was again fully into the wind, where the wind pushed the cat back down onto the water over the trampoline.
Without the friendly motorboater I had no chance. Wind: 3 Bft. Apparently the cat was positioned wrongly with the trampoline.
What did I do wrong?
Best regards, Jens
Hi Jens,
I can only imagine that you were too far forward, otherwise it sounds good and correct. Personally I don’t unhook the mainsheet; traveller eased, mainsheet on is enough for me (82 kg). Though I don’t know whether and how the clew in the water supports the unwanted turning or not.
Regards, Lorenz
On this, from my capsize practice, another tip that I experienced in a comparable situation, then discussed and tested:
If the cunningham (luff tensioner) is tight, the sail comes out of the water and stands full in profile with wind from below, this creates forward drive like a beautiful wing and creates negative pressure between water and sail, which makes rapid righting more difficult or even prevents it. Where the boat then turns probably depends on your position on the hull.
With the cunningham open this doesn’t happen, and the boat comes up unhindered.
Try it out!
Regards, Wolfgang

I have another question for the K3 single-handed sailors.
Does anyone secure themselves to the cat with a safety line? If so, exactly how? If you’re unlucky, the cat just sails on when you go overboard. What are the pros and cons? I’m asking because I’ll soon be sailing the Müggelsee single-handed.
Many thanks and regards, Sascha

Hi Sascha, first of all a warm welcome to the Topcat community and especially here in the forum.
Personally I’ve never heard of a sailor tying himself to the cat with a safety line.
Normally the Topcat is so weather-helmed that after a while it turns into the wind (with exceptions: downwind course, jammed tiller etc.).
Personally the risk of knotting myself up or injuring myself with the safety line during a capsize would be too high; I’d rather swim after the cat or let it run up onto the shore.
Best regards, Lukas

I’ve already heard of someone who secures themselves to the boat with a self-retracting dog leash. But personally the risk of getting tangled, especially during a capsize, would be too great for me.
Better not to go overboard in the first place. That means hooking into the trapeze as much as possible, or sitting in the hiking straps on reaching courses. Also don’t let go of the sheet and try not to release it from the cleat. Holding on to the tiller can also help; the aluminium tiller might survive that. The carbon tiller won’t.
From my own experience I can say that particular caution is needed on reaching courses. If you fall out of the trapeze while close-hauled, the cat simply capsizes. On a reach, in my case, holding on to the tiller made the cat bear away even further and run straight for a good distance. Only when the wind shifted a little in the gust did it luff up and luckily then caught on a buoy without injuring anyone. But that quickly adds up to a few hundred metres.
At this point let me again point to general caution. You should ideally not be completely alone on the water, or have someone on shore who watches and can get help if in doubt.

Hi Sascha, I wouldn’t tie myself on. Since you always have the mainsheet in your hand, just hold on to that and the boat won’t disappear. For cost reasons you shouldn’t hold on to the tiller extension, but always the mainsheet.
Regards, Harald

Once the cat shot off from the beach without me. No chance of reaching it even with a flying leap. Even with the surfboard I had no chance of catching up with it. Only a double canoe with two athletic paddlers managed it. Phew!
The second hairy situation was in Norway in freezing cold water: the trapeze line snapped, only the mainsheet saved me. I would have frozen, since the shore was about 400 m away.
Remedy: for trips at sea where I’m alone, I’ve rigged an elastic line between the tiller and the rudder blade elastic, which I can quickly release with a hook after a tack. If I now let go of the tiller, the two rudders are pulled to one side so that the cat luffs up and doesn’t run straight.
The tack or gybe is just a bit more awkward because of this extra step, and the rudder pressure is permanently slightly increased. I accept that for my life. Thank God I haven’t yet had to use this rescue system. If anyone has a better idea, they should publish it.

On a recent occasion – from my colleague – I heard that in Greece, where we always go, a cat was found without any people on board. Both had gone overboard for unexplained reasons…
Both survived, but were only rescued by a helicopter after hours.
I’ll pack my Nico signal into my life jacket then…

Hi, I’m also already considering using a safety line, because (admittedly not with a Topcat but with a Dart 18) I lost my crew at the Round Texel. With the ebb tide setting in and considerable waves at 5-6 Bft, no chance of getting to him. Only a rescue boat, which I was able to call over, could pick him up, and he was completely finished, and the life jackets (buoyancy aids) aren’t much use in that situation.
Now, alone with a K3, I’d rather not imagine such a situation.

Hey Carsten, where do all the points in the ranking actually come from, and why am I not making progress there? Could you please explain that to me?
Sure Willi, actually it’s all quite simple.
First you have to clarify how many points you can actually get at a regatta. That depends on the one hand on the ranking factor, and on the other on your own placing and the number of sailors. It’s calculated using this formula:

f = ranking factor of the regatta
pn = number of participants timed at least once
pi = placing of the person being calculated

In plain terms, the winner of a regatta with a factor of 1.0 gets 100 points, regardless of how many participants there were. With a factor of 1.4 at the last European Championship it was accordingly 140 points. And as 5th of 40 sailors at the Europeans, in your case it was 126.00 points, OK?
The number of ranking points is, by the way, also always shown after the name in the online results list at www.itca.de.
Yes, OK, I can follow that. And what’s next?
Next you have to see how often the point score of a regatta can be counted for the ranking.
Is there a maximum?
Yes, both for the regatta and for the overall ranking. The score of a 2-day weekend regatta can be brought into the overall scoring with a factor of at most 3, but only if at least 3 races were also sailed. Into the annual overall list, however, a maximum of 9 scores can be brought in, i.e. the results of at least 3 regattas.
Aha, that’s why the 120 points from the Attersee only count once, since only one race was possible.
Exactly, Willi. And a regatta that lasts at least 3 days and in which at least 4 races were sailed can be scored with a factor of at most 4.
Now you just have to add up your best results of the year and divide the whole thing by 9. That is, by the number of maximum scores, to determine the average. In your case, in 2009 that’s 126 points from Podersdorf (with 4× scoring), as well as the 120 points from the regattas won at Lake Garda (with 3× scoring) and Attersee (single scoring), and one more to complete it, 105.63 points (4th of 14 at the IDB in Travemünde with a factor of 1.3).

So concretely:
126 + 126 + 126 + 126 + 120 + 120 + 120 + 120 + 105.63 = 1089.63
divided by 9 gives 121.07.

That’s exactly the score that appears for you in the ranking.
What if I don’t manage to get 9 scores at all, because it was constantly calm, or I only sailed at 2 regattas?
Then you simply can’t reach the full score, since the missing scores are filled up with a zero. The rest stays the same. The total sum is divided by 9.
And what do the numbers after my name printed in the ranking actually mean?

There each number reflects a score, namely from the corresponding regatta. They’re all numbered consecutively over the year. There you can also see straight away who hasn’t reached a full 9 scores.
All right, then there’s still the question of why you sometimes still don’t improve, even though you’ve just won a regatta.
That’s because, for example, the rankings always list the regattas of the last 12 months. So regattas regularly drop out of the current scoring again. If last year at the same time you reached a good place at a points regatta, then those were perhaps more points than there were at this year’s regatta, which you even won. In the end result you might even get worse.
So, all clear?
Then let’s finally go sailing again, because no new points are added from arithmetic alone.
Thanks a lot Carsten, now I’ve got it.

To be a bit more variable with the self-tacking device permitted for K1 sailors, we fitted the line that leads to the clew with a splice. The end, however, is not left inside the line but led back out and fitted with a stopper knot. That way the length of the line can also be adjusted while sailing.
Alternatively, a line with a clam cleat can be rigged in.

Is the use of the TackTick T060 Micro Compass permitted at K1 regattas?
This compass is used by very many of us, especially with the matching bracket on the pole (T008) a great solution.
A simple compass without further functions (wind direction, speed), whether analogue or digital, may be used at Topcat regattas.
TackTick has the Microcompass – that’s the one we use. It has the compass display and a timer, as well as the TackTick scale function, which you have to calibrate beforehand though (I personally haven’t used it yet)

A cat is actually meant to be sailed, but it does happen that in zero wind the paddling gets too tiring for us, and the incoming rescue or committee boat takes pity and gives us a lift. If we’re on tour, e.g. Round Rügen, and the wind dies, then towing to the next harbour is even included in the service.
Now if the tow boat sets off a bit fast and jerkily, there’s an unpleasant jolt on the cat. If it brakes or makes tight turns, it can happen that we run over the line.
Our tour leader Willi has come up with something special for this purpose:
During rigging, a 15 mm diameter, 1.50 m long elastic strop is already attached to the mast foot and led forward under the power spreader. Afterwards a small lashing loop helps, with which you attach the elastic to the mast foot. Through the loop at the other end of the elastic strop, a line about 6 mm thick and 3 m long is led. This line (to limit the direction of pull) is attached to the front chainplates port and starboard.
To keep line and elastic under tension while sailing, a small lashing is spliced into the rear third of the elastic strop, with which the whole thing can be tensioned aft.
For towing, the small lashing is released. A towing line is attached to the front loop of the elastic strop with a carabiner or bowline.
When the tow boat now sets off, the elastic stretches and considerably dampens the jolt on starting.
The pull-direction-limiting line always guides the tow line towards the chainplate in case of sideways offset, since the elastic and thus the tow line can slide sideways on it. This prevents running over the tow line. Quite simple.
Idea: Willi Kaup, explanation Wolfgang Kordes

There are days when it just flows. At the start you were in the right place at the right time, and the sail trim suits the wind. No one is above you to windward, to leeward they’re all behind you – fantastic. Now comes the windward mark, later the leeward gate. Oh, sailing is so wonderful. How was it last time, and already the thoughts drift off into past and future times and topics. Yes, and then at some point the crucial question comes: which lap are we actually on? With two races a day of three laps each, you’d think you could still manage to at least count to three. At the latest at the season finale in Steinhude with four laps and four races, it can happen that you miss the finish, to the delight of the others. The beer table with all the woulda-coulda-shoulda, buoys and right-of-way situations brings it to light – it’s not necessarily down to age, others miscount too. There are heaps of suggested solutions: carving notches into the hull, matchstick games, felt-tip scribbles, card tricks and much more. Most of the fantasies are good for a chuckle. But a usable alternative?
Because I find it silly to waste valuable concentration on lap counting and perhaps still get it wrong, we looked for a practical and simple solution. The result is the voodoo doll. A short tail with coloured knots that slide along it (one per lap) is quickly tied on somewhere, is waterproof and doesn’t get in the way. Of course you could also have the “doll” blessed against all kinds of dangers, capsizes and for maximum luck. Such help can’t be guaranteed, but a counting guarantee with correct handling certainly can.

When dismantling our Topcat K2 today, we noticed very heavy wear on the beams and beam mounts.
We’re wondering whether we’re doing something wrong here? We’ve been sailing with a reacher for about six months.
– Could it be due to the reacher?
– Is the trampoline tension too high or too low?
– Is the mast tension too high or too low?
– Or is it simply abrasion from dirt (sand) on the beams?
– Maybe just the age of our Seabird, built in 2001?
We have the problem on both beams and all beam mounts.
We’d be very happy about suggestions / ideas.
Team Seabird (Sascha & David)

Hi Sascha and David,
of course there is some rubbing at that spot, but in terms of strength it’s not a problem. If there is sand or similar at that spot, you get this appearance.
Clean everything nicely and apply a little gelcoat to the hulls with a wooden spatula. If you tape the beams at the bearing points with Teflon tape, you won’t have the problem on the beams anymore either. If the black end stoppers are very rough, I would replace them with new ones.
Best, Harald

Thanks a lot for your answer and explanation. We applied gelcoat to the affected spots the same day.
In future we’ll always clean the spots nicely before assembly.
One more question, what exactly do you mean by Teflon tape?

A self-adhesive Teflon tape. On one side there’s the adhesive film and the other side is Teflon. With it you’ve got the chafe marks firmly under control.
Best, Harald

Indeed the old hulls have a bit more play between beam and hull. I don’t think applying gelcoat makes sense, as it crumbles out again over time. If you do, then please don’t seal the ventilation hole, otherwise the hull can’t breathe. The tape alternative is better, but please don’t use duct tape or the like here, as those rub off over time and glue the beam and hull together so that you can’t get them apart anymore. Thin plates or films are also useful. But please only for recreational use; at regattas gluing or shimming the beams is prohibited.

Wolfgang, Chief Measurer

Hi, I have a question on the side.
Eike submitted the application for an additional anti-slip strip on the K3, and according to the latest yearbook it was approved. However “only above the existing strip with max. 20 mm” .. how am I supposed to understand that? Are the 20 mm the distance from the existing strip or the “width” of the strip? Neither would make sense… hardly anyone needs the strip that far up, and if it’s supposed to be the thickness, you’d have to cut the standard strips completely lengthwise? Best regards, Lukas

The 20 mm refer to the width of the grip-tape strip, which results from the distance between the strip in the gelcoat and the deck. 25 mm would actually have been a more sensible measurement, since that width is directly available to buy, but for now it is what it is.
Robert

From my own bitter experience I can only warmly recommend once again checking the smooth running of the travellers before every regatta. If the boat has been in salt water (the Baltic or anywhere else) or on a not-so-clean lake, the travellers must absolutely be thoroughly rinsed with fresh water. Walter recommended a toilet-cleaner squeeze bottle for this, with which you can also rinse into the main traveller from below. If the balls don’t run smoothly and cleanly, they can stop and, with the pressure that builds up, destroy the plastic end caps. The result then lies on the trampoline. The main traveller doesn’t even have to hit the end of the track. The housing bursts anyway!
Dirk Säger

At the weekend I experienced my second capsize. This time, unlike the first time, I could no longer right the cat on my own. The situation: the cat had settled with the trampoline parallel to the wind. Standing on the tip of the hull, I was then able to slowly turn the cat with the mast against the wind. (The jib was furled and the mainsail unhooked from the traveller.) The rudder system, I noticed afterwards, was jammed with the tiller bar under the trampoline straps. It was a bit to the side.
Every time I had the mast a little out of the water and the cat righted itself, it picked up “speed” and turned completely with the mast to leeward. This happened so fast that the trampoline was again fully into the wind, where the wind pushed the cat back down onto the water over the trampoline.
Without the friendly motorboater I had no chance. Wind: 3 Bft. Apparently the cat was positioned wrongly with the trampoline.
What did I do wrong?
Best regards, Jens

Hi Jens, I can only imagine that you were too far forward, otherwise it sounds good and correct. Personally I don’t unhook the mainsheet; traveller eased, mainsheet on is enough for me (82 kg). Though I don’t know whether and how the clew in the water supports the unwanted turning or not.
Regards, Lorenz

Hi Jens, from my capsize practice here’s another tip that I experienced in a comparable situation, then discussed and tested:
If the cunningham (luff tensioner) is tight, the sail comes out of the water and stands full in profile with wind from below, this creates forward drive like a beautiful wing and creates negative pressure between water and sail, which makes rapid righting more difficult or even prevents it. Where the boat then turns probably depends on your position on the hull.
With the cunningham open this doesn’t happen, and the boat comes up unhindered.
Try it out!
Regards, Wolfgang

Hi Jens, I suspect you have too little weight. With a wetsuit and water bag you should manage it. 80-85 kg are needed. Something else I’ve experienced: there’s water in the hulls.

This year I’ve been out with an old F2. Over the course of the day I wreck my fingers in 2-3 Bft, though always gusty, always single-handed, so the mainsheet is usually held by hand. On top of that, every 10 minutes: pull the jib sheet out of the cleat, haul it round, back into the cleat. So I’ve already got myself a second pair of gloves where the second knuckle of the index finger is better protected. Still, the skin gets rubbed off the fingertips and partly off the gloved areas. So far one day has always been enough, but maybe the day will come when I can sail a second day.
Do you have any tips?
Your hands are basically in the water for 6 hours, no wonder they go soft. The pictures here show that the K boats tend to have a 4:1 mainsheet. I’ve also read something about a ratchet block with a different cleat on the traveller (but I didn’t really understand how that works). – less load on the hands?
There’s probably no complete solution, but surely a few things that help.
Norbert

Hi Norbert,
the mainsheet purchase on the F2 actually fits the boat size and sheet loads quite well. A K3 sheet isn’t geared any differently.
More sheaves also always means more sheet to pull during manoeuvres.

1. I suspect you run a plain single block as the bottom block (right in the picture) https://www.topcat.de/downloads/TOPCAT_F2_Spareparts.pdf
   A ratchet block could significantly reduce the holding forces (left in the picture)
2. What kind of sheet do you run?
   With sensitive hands you should choose it as thick as possible. 10 mm still runs reasonably through the blocks. The sheet should be neither too hard nor too smooth. The original Topcat material works very well. Your trusted chandler will surely have comparable material. Sometimes washing the sheet also works wonders.
3. Why do you constantly hold the sheet by hand?
   I suspect you don’t trust the cleat. The sheet doesn’t hold, the sheet doesn’t release reliably from the cleat. Then it’s time for a replacement or a different angle setting
4. Try holding/pulling the sheet differently.
   The sheet shouldn’t slide over the fingers unintentionally. Turn the hand in a little and pull more over the ball of the hand.
5. Hand cream should be used regularly and kept as equipment in the sailing bag
6. Rinse the mainsheet block / jib sheet blocks regularly and lubricate the sheave bearings (dry lubricant)
   That’s all I can think of right now. Best, hegi

First of all, thanks for the quick reply and the tips.
Re 1) Yes, the plain blocks. For the ratchet I’ll have to turn to a dealer or boatyard. From the spare parts list it isn’t really clear to me which variant is the right one for me. I only have three sheaves per block.
Are there really only the two dealers in Germany? I live out here in the deep east, in the countryside, and so far have only ordered my stuff online. A cow is easier to get hold of here.
Re 2) The sheet is a braided one with a core and apparently a high natural-fibre content, and quite grippy. Freshly dried I measured 11 to 12 mm. That would probably be a bit thick. But it should only be noticeable when hauling in and easing out, not when holding.
Re 3) So far it’s always been quite gusty when there’s wind. And when I notice that course correction and weight trim aren’t doing anything anymore, that’s when the mainsheet cleat really bites down… I don’t quite dare to use only the traveller instead of the mainsheet, since it runs a bit jerkily (also the plain variant, and I haven’t yet found a way to clean and lubricate the sheaves)
4 and 6) clear
5) Hand cream – has anything proven itself there?
Best regards, Norbert

Re 5) I can recommend the hand cream: Neutrogena

Hello,
on my new (used) K2 I always have quite a lot of rudder pressure when close-hauled. I’m not used to that and it’s a bit annoying. I’ve already experimented with the rig tension (more and less mast rake), but that didn’t help. Trimming the weight aft without trapeze is also counterproductive, because then the transoms sit quite far in the water…
Do you have any useful tips (other than coming to the training)?
Thanks, Chris
The topic of rudder pressure is quite a tricky thing. With the Topcat, due to the design as a catamaran without daggerboards, it is the more pronounced the larger the boat gets. With Streamcut sails the effect is additionally amplified compared to the classic cut.
Nevertheless you can also sail the Topcat without the rudder in your hand and do both tacks and gybes. The fore/aft as well as leeward/windward trim in particular has a very big influence on a catamaran. The sail setting must also be right, since a jib that isn’t standing properly lets the sail’s centre of effort slide far aft and thus leads to rudder pressure. Conversely, a mainsail that isn’t depowered, pulled flatter, in wind also leads to the same effect.
Rudder pressure is also strongly dependent on boat speed; the faster the boat gets, the greater it becomes with the same trim. At greater speed, however, you can also change the trim and thus reduce rudder pressure.
All in all, though, you have to live with a certain amount of rudder pressure, which seems unusual especially if you come from dinghies. Nevertheless I’d rather sail with rudder pressure and feel exactly what my trim is doing than creep across the lake without rudder pressure and with a badly trimmed boat.
Thanks for the explanations. I gather from this that it probably won’t work entirely without rudder pressure and that I’d best do some experiments on how the weight trim affects it.

The diamond wires must not be tensioned under load, otherwise the threads of the nuts at the lower end will simply be stripped. So lay the mast on trestles or on the ground and the trailer, then relieve the upper diamond wire by applying pressure. Only now tighten the nut. Then turn the mast and tension the other side.

On a downwind course in a lot of wind, pitchpoles are the greatest danger. You can reduce these if the main traveller is eased fully, but not the mainsheet. The mainsheet opens the top of the sail first and, especially at restrained speed, provides a large lever, particularly when gusts hit: the boat can’t accelerate fast enough and the pressure in the top makes the cat tip forward, i.e. pitchpole. Therefore: traveller out, mainsail in tighter, maybe even don’t furl the jib. That way the boat gets faster and the gusts accelerate the boat instead of tipping it over.
Lorenz Buchler

The reacher halyard on our K3 looks pretty worn out…
What can you recommend as a replacement?
https://www.segelservice.com/FSE-Schotleine-RACING-SHEET-5mm.html

The keels of the Topcats are (in my eyes) fairly robust as standard. Sand only damages them noticeably if they are pulled regularly. With gravel the answer is clearer. However, I keep having customers who simply don’t want to make a fuss and therefore fit/order the shoes.
In that respect, keel shoes are an all-round carefree package for non-commercial users. However: if a cat with keel shoes is pulled out of the water every day all summer in a sailing school without a launching trolley, the keel shoes too are worn down at the heels after three to four years.
Fitting is ‘actually’ simple:
Place the keel shoe on and mark with a pencil
Roughen the inside of the keel shoes with sandpaper
Mask the hulls if necessary and then sand them just as coarsely; both must look dull, even if it hurts.
Remove dust most thoroughly, for example with ethanol on a cloth
One tube of neutral-curing silicone into each keel shoe; for the F2 maybe 3/4 of a tube is enough. Don’t skimp, better to clean up afterwards
Fix the keel shoe with a roof batten, 6-8 lashing straps on it; be careful with ratchet straps, better normal lashing straps
Remove squeezed-out silicone immediately; you can also pull an edge right away, though around the straps it’s a bit tedious
Let cure for 24 hours
Second hull (if you don’t have two roof battens and 16 straps)
All in all a rather meditative affair, better careful than fast.

If you handle your boat carefully, you don’t need keel shoes. But at my berth I have a gravel beach, and friends also sail my boat sometimes when I’m not there. Then some scratches simply can’t be avoided. That’s when you can start thinking about the shoes. In rocky, shallow areas or, for example, near coral reefs, the keel shoes are practically indispensable. There’s additionally an Anticoralli hull reinforcement. There the hull is already additionally reinforced during construction at the boatyard. Unfortunately, however, that can’t be retrofitted.

I sail a K2, mostly single-handed. Yesterday we deliberately capsized it in the harbour bay because I wanted to see whether I could right it on my own! The result: impossible alone, and it didn’t work with two people either. Only when a third person lifted the mast! There was no wind. Since I’m still a beginner, my first question is: how much does the wind help me? Or what can I come up with so that I can right the K3 on my own!
The righting water bag would definitely be too little here and certainly wouldn’t work, unless the wind gives me that much extra help! I was already thinking of building an aluminium righting frame! Has anyone got experience or tips on this? Basically I’m glad of any info that helps me.
Many thanks in advance, Sepp

Hi Sepp, I’m glad to hear that even as a beginner you dare to sail a K2 on your own.
With the wind as a righting aid you’ve already touched on exactly the right topic: without wind it is much harder to right a capsized boat – when there is wind, it gets under the mast or the sail and helps as soon as it lifts out of the water. For that, however, the boat should be bow to wind. And of course the traveller and sheet should be released. And please always climb over the bow onto the float!
From 2-3 Bft I right a K2 on my own without any aids (at 86 kg); without wind (in which you don’t really capsize) it works with the water bag.
But it also has a lot to do with technique – ideally you stand exactly on the boat’s centre of gravity (just behind/below the front beam) and then shift your whole weight as far back as possible, legs stretched out! A few cm further forward or back make a huge difference.
Instead of investing in an aluminium frame (which I’ve never seen on any Topcat), better take a few hours at a sailing school so that you can handle the boat safely in all situations (including righting) and don’t get into a problematic situation. A bit of “literature” can’t hurt either…
If you can only right a K2 with 3 people, a lot is still going wrong there…
Good luck

What about the mast? Is it split or not, is it watertight, or does water get in??
The one-piece masts are airtight, i.e. they float up and don’t fill with water. A bit of water in the mast and you need many more kg of weight. Please check whether there’s water in the mast, open the ventilation screw at the mast foot and let any water out. Also check the weld seam at the mast top and the ventilation screw there.

Wolfgang, Chief Measurer

Hello everyone,
At the weekend I experienced my second capsize. This time, unlike the first time, I could no longer right the cat on my own. The situation: the cat had settled with the trampoline parallel to the wind. Standing on the tip of the hull, I was then able to slowly turn the cat with the mast against the wind. (The jib was furled and the mainsail unhooked from the traveller.) The rudder system, I noticed afterwards, was jammed with the tiller bar under the trampoline straps. It was a bit to the side.
Every time I had the mast a little out of the water and the cat righted itself, it picked up “speed” and turned completely with the mast to leeward. This happened so fast that the trampoline was again fully into the wind, where the wind pushed the cat back down onto the water over the trampoline.
Without the friendly motorboater I had no chance. Wind: 3 Bft. Apparently the cat was positioned wrongly with the trampoline.
What did I do wrong?
Best regards, Jens
Hi Jens,
I can only imagine that you were too far forward, otherwise it sounds good and correct. Personally I don’t unhook the mainsheet; traveller eased, mainsheet on is enough for me (82 kg). Though I don’t know whether and how the clew in the water supports the unwanted turning or not.
Regards, Lorenz
On this, from my capsize practice, another tip that I experienced in a comparable situation, then discussed and tested:
If the cunningham (luff tensioner) is tight, the sail comes out of the water and stands full in profile with wind from below, this creates forward drive like a beautiful wing and creates negative pressure between water and sail, which makes rapid righting more difficult or even prevents it. Where the boat then turns probably depends on your position on the hull.
With the cunningham open this doesn’t happen, and the boat comes up unhindered.
Try it out!
Regards, Wolfgang

I have another question for the K3 single-handed sailors.
Does anyone secure themselves to the cat with a safety line? If so, exactly how? If you’re unlucky, the cat just sails on when you go overboard. What are the pros and cons? I’m asking because I’ll soon be sailing the Müggelsee single-handed.
Many thanks and regards, Sascha

Hi Sascha, first of all a warm welcome to the Topcat community and especially here in the forum.
Personally I’ve never heard of a sailor tying himself to the cat with a safety line.
Normally the Topcat is so weather-helmed that after a while it turns into the wind (with exceptions: downwind course, jammed tiller etc.).
Personally the risk of knotting myself up or injuring myself with the safety line during a capsize would be too high; I’d rather swim after the cat or let it run up onto the shore.
Best regards, Lukas

I’ve already heard of someone who secures themselves to the boat with a self-retracting dog leash. But personally the risk of getting tangled, especially during a capsize, would be too great for me.
Better not to go overboard in the first place. That means hooking into the trapeze as much as possible, or sitting in the hiking straps on reaching courses. Also don’t let go of the sheet and try not to release it from the cleat. Holding on to the tiller can also help; the aluminium tiller might survive that. The carbon tiller won’t.
From my own experience I can say that particular caution is needed on reaching courses. If you fall out of the trapeze while close-hauled, the cat simply capsizes. On a reach, in my case, holding on to the tiller made the cat bear away even further and run straight for a good distance. Only when the wind shifted a little in the gust did it luff up and luckily then caught on a buoy without injuring anyone. But that quickly adds up to a few hundred metres.
At this point let me again point to general caution. You should ideally not be completely alone on the water, or have someone on shore who watches and can get help if in doubt.

Hi Sascha, I wouldn’t tie myself on. Since you always have the mainsheet in your hand, just hold on to that and the boat won’t disappear. For cost reasons you shouldn’t hold on to the tiller extension, but always the mainsheet.
Regards, Harald

Once the cat shot off from the beach without me. No chance of reaching it even with a flying leap. Even with the surfboard I had no chance of catching up with it. Only a double canoe with two athletic paddlers managed it. Phew!
The second hairy situation was in Norway in freezing cold water: the trapeze line snapped, only the mainsheet saved me. I would have frozen, since the shore was about 400 m away.
Remedy: for trips at sea where I’m alone, I’ve rigged an elastic line between the tiller and the rudder blade elastic, which I can quickly release with a hook after a tack. If I now let go of the tiller, the two rudders are pulled to one side so that the cat luffs up and doesn’t run straight.
The tack or gybe is just a bit more awkward because of this extra step, and the rudder pressure is permanently slightly increased. I accept that for my life. Thank God I haven’t yet had to use this rescue system. If anyone has a better idea, they should publish it.

On a recent occasion – from my colleague – I heard that in Greece, where we always go, a cat was found without any people on board. Both had gone overboard for unexplained reasons…
Both survived, but were only rescued by a helicopter after hours.
I’ll pack my Nico signal into my life jacket then…

Hi, I’m also already considering using a safety line, because (admittedly not with a Topcat but with a Dart 18) I lost my crew at the Round Texel. With the ebb tide setting in and considerable waves at 5-6 Bft, no chance of getting to him. Only a rescue boat, which I was able to call over, could pick him up, and he was completely finished, and the life jackets (buoyancy aids) aren’t much use in that situation.
Now, alone with a K3, I’d rather not imagine such a situation.

Hey Carsten, where do all the points in the ranking actually come from, and why am I not making progress there? Could you please explain that to me?
Sure Willi, actually it’s all quite simple.
First you have to clarify how many points you can actually get at a regatta. That depends on the one hand on the ranking factor, and on the other on your own placing and the number of sailors. It’s calculated using this formula:

f = ranking factor of the regatta
pn = number of participants timed at least once
pi = placing of the person being calculated

In plain terms, the winner of a regatta with a factor of 1.0 gets 100 points, regardless of how many participants there were. With a factor of 1.4 at the last European Championship it was accordingly 140 points. And as 5th of 40 sailors at the Europeans, in your case it was 126.00 points, OK?
The number of ranking points is, by the way, also always shown after the name in the online results list at www.itca.de.
Yes, OK, I can follow that. And what’s next?
Next you have to see how often the point score of a regatta can be counted for the ranking.
Is there a maximum?
Yes, both for the regatta and for the overall ranking. The score of a 2-day weekend regatta can be brought into the overall scoring with a factor of at most 3, but only if at least 3 races were also sailed. Into the annual overall list, however, a maximum of 9 scores can be brought in, i.e. the results of at least 3 regattas.
Aha, that’s why the 120 points from the Attersee only count once, since only one race was possible.
Exactly, Willi. And a regatta that lasts at least 3 days and in which at least 4 races were sailed can be scored with a factor of at most 4.
Now you just have to add up your best results of the year and divide the whole thing by 9. That is, by the number of maximum scores, to determine the average. In your case, in 2009 that’s 126 points from Podersdorf (with 4× scoring), as well as the 120 points from the regattas won at Lake Garda (with 3× scoring) and Attersee (single scoring), and one more to complete it, 105.63 points (4th of 14 at the IDB in Travemünde with a factor of 1.3).

So concretely:
126 + 126 + 126 + 126 + 120 + 120 + 120 + 120 + 105.63 = 1089.63
divided by 9 gives 121.07.

That’s exactly the score that appears for you in the ranking.
What if I don’t manage to get 9 scores at all, because it was constantly calm, or I only sailed at 2 regattas?
Then you simply can’t reach the full score, since the missing scores are filled up with a zero. The rest stays the same. The total sum is divided by 9.
And what do the numbers after my name printed in the ranking actually mean?

There each number reflects a score, namely from the corresponding regatta. They’re all numbered consecutively over the year. There you can also see straight away who hasn’t reached a full 9 scores.
All right, then there’s still the question of why you sometimes still don’t improve, even though you’ve just won a regatta.
That’s because, for example, the rankings always list the regattas of the last 12 months. So regattas regularly drop out of the current scoring again. If last year at the same time you reached a good place at a points regatta, then those were perhaps more points than there were at this year’s regatta, which you even won. In the end result you might even get worse.
So, all clear?
Then let’s finally go sailing again, because no new points are added from arithmetic alone.
Thanks a lot Carsten, now I’ve got it.

Is the use of the TackTick T060 Micro Compass permitted at K1 regattas?
This compass is used by very many of us, especially with the matching bracket on the pole (T008) a great solution.
A simple compass without further functions (wind direction, speed), whether analogue or digital, may be used at Topcat regattas.
TackTick has the Microcompass – that’s the one we use. It has the compass display and a timer, as well as the TackTick scale function, which you have to calibrate beforehand though (I personally haven’t used it yet)

A cat is actually meant to be sailed, but it does happen that in zero wind the paddling gets too tiring for us, and the incoming rescue or committee boat takes pity and gives us a lift. If we’re on tour, e.g. Round Rügen, and the wind dies, then towing to the next harbour is even included in the service.
Now if the tow boat sets off a bit fast and jerkily, there’s an unpleasant jolt on the cat. If it brakes or makes tight turns, it can happen that we run over the line.
Our tour leader Willi has come up with something special for this purpose:
During rigging, a 15 mm diameter, 1.50 m long elastic strop is already attached to the mast foot and led forward under the power spreader. Afterwards a small lashing loop helps, with which you attach the elastic to the mast foot. Through the loop at the other end of the elastic strop, a line about 6 mm thick and 3 m long is led. This line (to limit the direction of pull) is attached to the front chainplates port and starboard.
To keep line and elastic under tension while sailing, a small lashing is spliced into the rear third of the elastic strop, with which the whole thing can be tensioned aft.
For towing, the small lashing is released. A towing line is attached to the front loop of the elastic strop with a carabiner or bowline.
When the tow boat now sets off, the elastic stretches and considerably dampens the jolt on starting.
The pull-direction-limiting line always guides the tow line towards the chainplate in case of sideways offset, since the elastic and thus the tow line can slide sideways on it. This prevents running over the tow line. Quite simple.
Idea: Willi Kaup, explanation Wolfgang Kordes

At Brombachsee the wind conditions weren’t such that you can say much about it, and besides we sailed the classic regatta course.
On the long-distance race it was a great help to us, because this time there were many legs that weren’t windward-leeward legs: deep upwind, reaching and broad reaching, and that partly in double-trapeze conditions.
The easy operation of the traveller is, especially on waters like the Baltic, a big safety gain. Now you can suddenly use the traveller, you don’t need to luff up or ease the mainsheet.
The construction also held up on all 4 K2s. So overall a clear thumbs up.
Best, Dirk
Hi Dirk, I can only confirm that. In 2010 I ran the system at Lake Garda and other wind areas and was very satisfied with the usability. Even in very strong wind it holds and is easy to open and close. Best, Harald
Yes Harald and Dirk, I can only share your opinions! Unfortunately the two other classes K1 and K3 missed submitting the application last year; back then I was still active in the K2 and very, very much advocated the Spinlock on our Topcats purely for safety reasons! The state now is that in the K2 the Spinlock is being tested for one year first. But others are already running the Spinlock illegally in the K3 area too! Why might that be? More safety, easier operation in strong wind, so more fun, and that’s what we all want, isn’t it? So an application this year from the two other classes, and I think those responsible will have nothing against the Spinlock

Hello
The application was submitted in 2012 by Ralf Zank and other people. After a successful one-year trial phase on the K2, this application was approved for all classes in 2014 (Yearbook 2013/2014 measurement application and 2014 boatyard information). The Spinlock cleat was approved without a swivel base, and it is supplied exclusively by the boatyard.

Wolfgang, Chief Measurer

There are days when it just flows. At the start you were in the right place at the right time, and the sail trim suits the wind. No one is above you to windward, to leeward they’re all behind you – fantastic. Now comes the windward mark, later the leeward gate. Oh, sailing is so wonderful. How was it last time, and already the thoughts drift off into past and future times and topics. Yes, and then at some point the crucial question comes: which lap are we actually on? With two races a day of three laps each, you’d think you could still manage to at least count to three. At the latest at the season finale in Steinhude with four laps and four races, it can happen that you miss the finish, to the delight of the others. The beer table with all the woulda-coulda-shoulda, buoys and right-of-way situations brings it to light – it’s not necessarily down to age, others miscount too. There are heaps of suggested solutions: carving notches into the hull, matchstick games, felt-tip scribbles, card tricks and much more. Most of the fantasies are good for a chuckle. But a usable alternative?
Because I find it silly to waste valuable concentration on lap counting and perhaps still get it wrong, we looked for a practical and simple solution. The result is the voodoo doll. A short tail with coloured knots that slide along it (one per lap) is quickly tied on somewhere, is waterproof and doesn’t get in the way. Of course you could also have the “doll” blessed against all kinds of dangers, capsizes and for maximum luck. Such help can’t be guaranteed, but a counting guarantee with correct handling certainly can.

When dismantling our Topcat K2 today, we noticed very heavy wear on the beams and beam mounts.
We’re wondering whether we’re doing something wrong here? We’ve been sailing with a reacher for about six months.
– Could it be due to the reacher?
– Is the trampoline tension too high or too low?
– Is the mast tension too high or too low?
– Or is it simply abrasion from dirt (sand) on the beams?
– Maybe just the age of our Seabird, built in 2001?
We have the problem on both beams and all beam mounts.
We’d be very happy about suggestions / ideas.
Team Seabird (Sascha & David)

Hi Sascha and David,
of course there is some rubbing at that spot, but in terms of strength it’s not a problem. If there is sand or similar at that spot, you get this appearance.
Clean everything nicely and apply a little gelcoat to the hulls with a wooden spatula. If you tape the beams at the bearing points with Teflon tape, you won’t have the problem on the beams anymore either. If the black end stoppers are very rough, I would replace them with new ones.
Best, Harald

Thanks a lot for your answer and explanation. We applied gelcoat to the affected spots the same day.
In future we’ll always clean the spots nicely before assembly.
One more question, what exactly do you mean by Teflon tape?

A self-adhesive Teflon tape. On one side there’s the adhesive film and the other side is Teflon. With it you’ve got the chafe marks firmly under control.
Best, Harald

Indeed the old hulls have a bit more play between beam and hull. I don’t think applying gelcoat makes sense, as it crumbles out again over time. If you do, then please don’t seal the ventilation hole, otherwise the hull can’t breathe. The tape alternative is better, but please don’t use duct tape or the like here, as those rub off over time and glue the beam and hull together so that you can’t get them apart anymore. Thin plates or films are also useful. But please only for recreational use; at regattas gluing or shimming the beams is prohibited.

Wolfgang, Chief Measurer

Hi, I have a question on the side.
Eike submitted the application for an additional anti-slip strip on the K3, and according to the latest yearbook it was approved. However “only above the existing strip with max. 20 mm” .. how am I supposed to understand that? Are the 20 mm the distance from the existing strip or the “width” of the strip? Neither would make sense… hardly anyone needs the strip that far up, and if it’s supposed to be the thickness, you’d have to cut the standard strips completely lengthwise? Best regards, Lukas

The 20 mm refer to the width of the grip-tape strip, which results from the distance between the strip in the gelcoat and the deck. 25 mm would actually have been a more sensible measurement, since that width is directly available to buy, but for now it is what it is.
Robert

At the weekend I experienced my second capsize. This time, unlike the first time, I could no longer right the cat on my own. The situation: the cat had settled with the trampoline parallel to the wind. Standing on the tip of the hull, I was then able to slowly turn the cat with the mast against the wind. (The jib was furled and the mainsail unhooked from the traveller.) The rudder system, I noticed afterwards, was jammed with the tiller bar under the trampoline straps. It was a bit to the side.
Every time I had the mast a little out of the water and the cat righted itself, it picked up “speed” and turned completely with the mast to leeward. This happened so fast that the trampoline was again fully into the wind, where the wind pushed the cat back down onto the water over the trampoline.
Without the friendly motorboater I had no chance. Wind: 3 Bft. Apparently the cat was positioned wrongly with the trampoline.
What did I do wrong?
Best regards, Jens

Hi Jens, I can only imagine that you were too far forward, otherwise it sounds good and correct. Personally I don’t unhook the mainsheet; traveller eased, mainsheet on is enough for me (82 kg). Though I don’t know whether and how the clew in the water supports the unwanted turning or not.
Regards, Lorenz

Hi Jens, from my capsize practice here’s another tip that I experienced in a comparable situation, then discussed and tested:
If the cunningham (luff tensioner) is tight, the sail comes out of the water and stands full in profile with wind from below, this creates forward drive like a beautiful wing and creates negative pressure between water and sail, which makes rapid righting more difficult or even prevents it. Where the boat then turns probably depends on your position on the hull.
With the cunningham open this doesn’t happen, and the boat comes up unhindered.
Try it out!
Regards, Wolfgang

Hi Jens, I suspect you have too little weight. With a wetsuit and water bag you should manage it. 80-85 kg are needed. Something else I’ve experienced: there’s water in the hulls.

Compared to the tack, the gybe has the great advantage that the following wind means you can’t get stuck. Nevertheless you slow down going into the gybe and have to accelerate again after the sails shift across. Main and jib are usually treated more like stepchildren than the reacher, and that is – as my outgoing mayor once said – a good thing. On the K1 the get-going should actually work well, because at least in terms of numbers there’s enough crew on board.
On the K3 it’s different in the gybe: bear away, don’t step on the mainsheet, ease the leeward sheet, grab the windward sheet, gybe, haul in the new leeward sheet. And don’t forget to steer. Especially in more wind, the reacher is happily left to its own devices and the trimmer has to crawl to the front beam after the gybe. As I said, especially in more wind.
Anyone who attaches the ends of the reacher sheet to the clew can skip ahead to the next tip. The prerequisite here is that the sheet ends are on the trampoline and the sheet is attached to the reacher’s clew with a tail.
If you don’t knot the ends of the sheet on the trampoline but instead lead them diagonally aft, you have the sheet exactly where it should be: aft to windward. So that the ends stay there too, you tie on a thin elastic that is led back forward under the trampoline. The chainplates and the bridle are ideal for this, giving you about four metres of ‘travel’ per side. That’s important, because there mustn’t be much load on the elastic: the sailor pulls on the clew with the leeward sheet, which in turn pulls on the windward sheet. And that very one stretches the elastic at its end.
Lorenz Buchler

This year I’ve been out with an old F2. Over the course of the day I wreck my fingers in 2-3 Bft, though always gusty, always single-handed, so the mainsheet is usually held by hand. On top of that, every 10 minutes: pull the jib sheet out of the cleat, haul it round, back into the cleat. So I’ve already got myself a second pair of gloves where the second knuckle of the index finger is better protected. Still, the skin gets rubbed off the fingertips and partly off the gloved areas. So far one day has always been enough, but maybe the day will come when I can sail a second day.
Do you have any tips?
Your hands are basically in the water for 6 hours, no wonder they go soft. The pictures here show that the K boats tend to have a 4:1 mainsheet. I’ve also read something about a ratchet block with a different cleat on the traveller (but I didn’t really understand how that works). – less load on the hands?
There’s probably no complete solution, but surely a few things that help.
Norbert

Hi Norbert,
the mainsheet purchase on the F2 actually fits the boat size and sheet loads quite well. A K3 sheet isn’t geared any differently.
More sheaves also always means more sheet to pull during manoeuvres.

1. I suspect you run a plain single block as the bottom block (right in the picture) https://www.topcat.de/downloads/TOPCAT_F2_Spareparts.pdf
   A ratchet block could significantly reduce the holding forces (left in the picture)
2. What kind of sheet do you run?
   With sensitive hands you should choose it as thick as possible. 10 mm still runs reasonably through the blocks. The sheet should be neither too hard nor too smooth. The original Topcat material works very well. Your trusted chandler will surely have comparable material. Sometimes washing the sheet also works wonders.
3. Why do you constantly hold the sheet by hand?
   I suspect you don’t trust the cleat. The sheet doesn’t hold, the sheet doesn’t release reliably from the cleat. Then it’s time for a replacement or a different angle setting
4. Try holding/pulling the sheet differently.
   The sheet shouldn’t slide over the fingers unintentionally. Turn the hand in a little and pull more over the ball of the hand.
5. Hand cream should be used regularly and kept as equipment in the sailing bag
6. Rinse the mainsheet block / jib sheet blocks regularly and lubricate the sheave bearings (dry lubricant)
   That’s all I can think of right now. Best, hegi

First of all, thanks for the quick reply and the tips.
Re 1) Yes, the plain blocks. For the ratchet I’ll have to turn to a dealer or boatyard. From the spare parts list it isn’t really clear to me which variant is the right one for me. I only have three sheaves per block.
Are there really only the two dealers in Germany? I live out here in the deep east, in the countryside, and so far have only ordered my stuff online. A cow is easier to get hold of here.
Re 2) The sheet is a braided one with a core and apparently a high natural-fibre content, and quite grippy. Freshly dried I measured 11 to 12 mm. That would probably be a bit thick. But it should only be noticeable when hauling in and easing out, not when holding.
Re 3) So far it’s always been quite gusty when there’s wind. And when I notice that course correction and weight trim aren’t doing anything anymore, that’s when the mainsheet cleat really bites down… I don’t quite dare to use only the traveller instead of the mainsheet, since it runs a bit jerkily (also the plain variant, and I haven’t yet found a way to clean and lubricate the sheaves)
4 and 6) clear
5) Hand cream – has anything proven itself there?
Best regards, Norbert

Re 5) I can recommend the hand cream: Neutrogena

The reacher halyard on our K3 looks pretty worn out…
What can you recommend as a replacement?
https://www.segelservice.com/FSE-Schotleine-RACING-SHEET-5mm.html

I sail a K2, mostly single-handed. Yesterday we deliberately capsized it in the harbour bay because I wanted to see whether I could right it on my own! The result: impossible alone, and it didn’t work with two people either. Only when a third person lifted the mast! There was no wind. Since I’m still a beginner, my first question is: how much does the wind help me? Or what can I come up with so that I can right the K3 on my own!
The righting water bag would definitely be too little here and certainly wouldn’t work, unless the wind gives me that much extra help! I was already thinking of building an aluminium righting frame! Has anyone got experience or tips on this? Basically I’m glad of any info that helps me.
Many thanks in advance, Sepp

Hi Sepp, I’m glad to hear that even as a beginner you dare to sail a K2 on your own.
With the wind as a righting aid you’ve already touched on exactly the right topic: without wind it is much harder to right a capsized boat – when there is wind, it gets under the mast or the sail and helps as soon as it lifts out of the water. For that, however, the boat should be bow to wind. And of course the traveller and sheet should be released. And please always climb over the bow onto the float!
From 2-3 Bft I right a K2 on my own without any aids (at 86 kg); without wind (in which you don’t really capsize) it works with the water bag.
But it also has a lot to do with technique – ideally you stand exactly on the boat’s centre of gravity (just behind/below the front beam) and then shift your whole weight as far back as possible, legs stretched out! A few cm further forward or back make a huge difference.
Instead of investing in an aluminium frame (which I’ve never seen on any Topcat), better take a few hours at a sailing school so that you can handle the boat safely in all situations (including righting) and don’t get into a problematic situation. A bit of “literature” can’t hurt either…
If you can only right a K2 with 3 people, a lot is still going wrong there…
Good luck

What about the mast? Is it split or not, is it watertight, or does water get in??
The one-piece masts are airtight, i.e. they float up and don’t fill with water. A bit of water in the mast and you need many more kg of weight. Please check whether there’s water in the mast, open the ventilation screw at the mast foot and let any water out. Also check the weld seam at the mast top and the ventilation screw there.

Wolfgang, Chief Measurer

I have another question for the K3 single-handed sailors.
Does anyone secure themselves to the cat with a safety line? If so, exactly how? If you’re unlucky, the cat just sails on when you go overboard. What are the pros and cons? I’m asking because I’ll soon be sailing the Müggelsee single-handed.
Many thanks and regards, Sascha

Hi Sascha, first of all a warm welcome to the Topcat community and especially here in the forum.
Personally I’ve never heard of a sailor tying himself to the cat with a safety line.
Normally the Topcat is so weather-helmed that after a while it turns into the wind (with exceptions: downwind course, jammed tiller etc.).
Personally the risk of knotting myself up or injuring myself with the safety line during a capsize would be too high; I’d rather swim after the cat or let it run up onto the shore.
Best regards, Lukas

I’ve already heard of someone who secures themselves to the boat with a self-retracting dog leash. But personally the risk of getting tangled, especially during a capsize, would be too great for me.
Better not to go overboard in the first place. That means hooking into the trapeze as much as possible, or sitting in the hiking straps on reaching courses. Also don’t let go of the sheet and try not to release it from the cleat. Holding on to the tiller can also help; the aluminium tiller might survive that. The carbon tiller won’t.
From my own experience I can say that particular caution is needed on reaching courses. If you fall out of the trapeze while close-hauled, the cat simply capsizes. On a reach, in my case, holding on to the tiller made the cat bear away even further and run straight for a good distance. Only when the wind shifted a little in the gust did it luff up and luckily then caught on a buoy without injuring anyone. But that quickly adds up to a few hundred metres.
At this point let me again point to general caution. You should ideally not be completely alone on the water, or have someone on shore who watches and can get help if in doubt.

Hi Sascha, I wouldn’t tie myself on. Since you always have the mainsheet in your hand, just hold on to that and the boat won’t disappear. For cost reasons you shouldn’t hold on to the tiller extension, but always the mainsheet.
Regards, Harald

Once the cat shot off from the beach without me. No chance of reaching it even with a flying leap. Even with the surfboard I had no chance of catching up with it. Only a double canoe with two athletic paddlers managed it. Phew!
The second hairy situation was in Norway in freezing cold water: the trapeze line snapped, only the mainsheet saved me. I would have frozen, since the shore was about 400 m away.
Remedy: for trips at sea where I’m alone, I’ve rigged an elastic line between the tiller and the rudder blade elastic, which I can quickly release with a hook after a tack. If I now let go of the tiller, the two rudders are pulled to one side so that the cat luffs up and doesn’t run straight.
The tack or gybe is just a bit more awkward because of this extra step, and the rudder pressure is permanently slightly increased. I accept that for my life. Thank God I haven’t yet had to use this rescue system. If anyone has a better idea, they should publish it.

On a recent occasion – from my colleague – I heard that in Greece, where we always go, a cat was found without any people on board. Both had gone overboard for unexplained reasons…
Both survived, but were only rescued by a helicopter after hours.
I’ll pack my Nico signal into my life jacket then…

Hi, I’m also already considering using a safety line, because (admittedly not with a Topcat but with a Dart 18) I lost my crew at the Round Texel. With the ebb tide setting in and considerable waves at 5-6 Bft, no chance of getting to him. Only a rescue boat, which I was able to call over, could pick him up, and he was completely finished, and the life jackets (buoyancy aids) aren’t much use in that situation.
Now, alone with a K3, I’d rather not imagine such a situation.

When dismantling our Topcat K2 today, we noticed very heavy wear on the beams and beam mounts.
We’re wondering whether we’re doing something wrong here? We’ve been sailing with a reacher for about six months.
– Could it be due to the reacher?
– Is the trampoline tension too high or too low?
– Is the mast tension too high or too low?
– Or is it simply abrasion from dirt (sand) on the beams?
– Maybe just the age of our Seabird, built in 2001?
We have the problem on both beams and all beam mounts.
We’d be very happy about suggestions / ideas.
Team Seabird (Sascha & David)

Hi Sascha and David,
of course there is some rubbing at that spot, but in terms of strength it’s not a problem. If there is sand or similar at that spot, you get this appearance.
Clean everything nicely and apply a little gelcoat to the hulls with a wooden spatula. If you tape the beams at the bearing points with Teflon tape, you won’t have the problem on the beams anymore either. If the black end stoppers are very rough, I would replace them with new ones.
Best, Harald

Thanks a lot for your answer and explanation. We applied gelcoat to the affected spots the same day.
In future we’ll always clean the spots nicely before assembly.
One more question, what exactly do you mean by Teflon tape?

A self-adhesive Teflon tape. On one side there’s the adhesive film and the other side is Teflon. With it you’ve got the chafe marks firmly under control.
Best, Harald

Indeed the old hulls have a bit more play between beam and hull. I don’t think applying gelcoat makes sense, as it crumbles out again over time. If you do, then please don’t seal the ventilation hole, otherwise the hull can’t breathe. The tape alternative is better, but please don’t use duct tape or the like here, as those rub off over time and glue the beam and hull together so that you can’t get them apart anymore. Thin plates or films are also useful. But please only for recreational use; at regattas gluing or shimming the beams is prohibited.

Wolfgang, Chief Measurer